1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to winches, and in particular to improvements in commercial fishing and marine winches, as well as a new and unique apparatus and method specifically designed for use in conjunction with oyster dredging, shrimping, and similar activities in the fishing industry.
The present invention discloses various improvements with regard to two, four, and five drum winches as used in the fishing and marine industries. The improvements relate to the overall compact compartmentation and configuration of the device, as well as new innovative improvements in the clutch mechanism, the split collar, wear plates, cleaves, shaft, and other aspects of the mechanism of the winch, which will vary depending upon the contemplated use.
Further, the present invention contemplates an improvement in winches, which provides for a longer wearing, self lubricating winching system which will last many times longer than the conventional winches taught in the prior art, as well as providing a winching apparatus which requires relatively little maintenance.
The present invention teaches an exemplary embodiment and design for a winch specifically designed for oyster dredging, in which the winch includes a new and unique configuration, including the incorporation of a "dredge post" implemented in the construction of the winch for safer and more efficient dredging of oysters.
Additionally, the present invention also contemplates an exemplary embodiment for a five drum winch specifically designed for commercial trawling such as that associated with shrimping and the like, which reduces the need for extra winches for monitoring test lines, nets and the like.
2. Prior Art & General Background
As may be seen by a review of the prior art, there has been little innovation with regard to winches as used in the fishing and maritime industry for many decades. Most patents cited in the prior art teach rather simplistic mechanical devices which retain and dispense two to four fishing lines, chains, ropes, or the like.
None of the prior art disclosures suggests devices which are particularly adapted to operate under the severe corrosive conditions of the sea, or operate for extended periods of time with relatively little maintenance and repair. Further, none of the devices appear to be particularly suitable for operating oyster dredges, which at present requires a rather precarious and dangerous system of pulleys and cable supports to direct the dredge to its desired position relative the vessel.
With regard to the utilization of marine winches in conjunction with shrimping, the shrimpers typically relied upon a multiplicity of one, two or four drum winches for pulling the main nets, as well as separate winches for pulling the test nets. The multiplicity of winches represented a rather significant investment in very costly equipment, with a proportional increase in preventative maintenance and repair.
The typical medium size shrimp trawling vessel in the Gulf of Mexico has the capability of pulling at least five nets: two outer, or "butterfly" nets (one on each side of the vessel), an inner "main" net, and two test nets, or "trawls". The five nets require a number of lines for control and maneuvering; these lines in turn require a multiplicity of individual winches to control each line.
Because the many separate winches of the prior art were apart from one another, it was difficult for the fisherman to single handedly operate the equipment; further, the separation of the winches increased the likelihood of the lines becoming tangled. Applicant knows of no prior art teaching a single, compact five drum winch designed for utilization with the five nets of the typical medium size trawling vessel.
With regard to oyster dredging, the commercial fisherman has not had a satisfactory system to lower and raise the oyster dredge. The equipment on the market today needs constant maintenance, and often nonetheless fails. Further, the configuration of the chain guides is dangerous and inefficient, requiring greater pull than is necessary due to the many angles traversed by the chain line from the winch to the dredge.
While conventional winches have been used in the past, there was great room for improvement. The "dredge post" of the prior art comprised a vertical wooden or metal member affixed to the deck of the vessel and incorporating pulley means of guiding a flexible member such as a chain, cable or the like which retained the dredge. This configuration often proved dangerous as the "dredge post" would ultimately catastrophically fail, pulling up a part of the deck in the process and often causing injury to any fishermen unfortunate enough to be in the path of the post or line.
A list of prior patents which may be of interest are listed below:
______________________________________ U.S. Pat. No. Patentee(s) Issue Date ______________________________________ 122,843 Mayhew 1/16/1872 1,324,703 Trew 12/9/1919 2,010,280 Thiman 9/06/1935 2,157,153 H. J. Troche 08/14/1939 2,464,245 Longren 3/15/1949 2,555,676 Clark 6/5/1951 3,119,601 Blount 1/28/1964 3,161,980 James 12/22/1964 ______________________________________
As may be seen by a review of the above patents, the prior art does not teach nor contemplate a heavy duty marine winch designed for extended periods of activity without the traditional maintenance required of conventional winches.
Similarly, the prior art does not contemplate a marine winch designed specifically for use in conjunction with oyster dredges, incorporating a "dredge post", nor does it teach an alternative embodiment specifically designed for use in conjunction with shrimping vessels wherein a multiplicity of drums are provided eliminating the need for more than one winching station on the vessel.
3. General, Summary Discussion of the Invention
The present invention overcomes the prior art problems by providing a heavy duty marine winch designed for the specialized operations associated with the oyster and shrimp harvesting industry, preferably providing a heavy duty, compact, well designed system comprising high quality components and utilizing sophisticated, innovative techniques of construction and operation.
The present invention teaches a marine winch of high grade materials including stainless steel, cast steel, bronze, and high tensile alloys configured into an improved, compact component package having a relatively small footprint while providing superior strength and durability over conventional, prior art winches.
Innovations of the present invention include a new and unique way of circulating lubricants to the axle, thereby eliminating the necessity of constantly greasing the winch. This is done through a new wear plate design, which has an unconventional but effective square configuration, including "grease grooves" which circulate the lubricant from the outer portion of the winch to the axle area with each revolution of the plates.
The present invention teaches a device utilizing high quality components heretofore not used in conjunction with commercial fishing winches. Among these components are "Inkalloy" springs and high stress bearings.
Also disclosed is a new and unique apparatus configuration contemplating the virtual wear of the material of the component parts and compensating for that wear potential by incorporating materials of different "hardness" or wear capability. For example, the wear plates of the present invention are taught in the exemplary embodiment as being constructed of 660 bronze, a material softer than the cast iron components, juxtaposed to the plates, so as not to wear them, yet having five times the strength of brass, which was used in prior art "improved" wear plates.
Other innovations of the present invention over the prior art will become apparent upon review of the specification.
It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a winch system to be used in the commercial fishing industry having increased wear capability over the prior art.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a winch system specifically designed for utilization in a salt water environment yet requiring less maintenance and repair than the prior art.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a winch system specifically designed for oyster dredging, incorporating a built-in "dredge post".
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a winch system designed for utilization in conjunction with the multiple net shrimp trawling system as practiced in the Gulf of Mexico.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a winch system including a plurality of drums and having paired means of control, with the system being incorporated into a compact configuration easily controlled by one person.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a method of winching, utilizing an apparatus compact in design and including a multitude of drums.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a winch system comprised of high grade components and alloys, designed for reduced maintenance and repair.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a winch apparatus and system incorporating a new and unique method of circulating lubricants such as axle grease and the like, utilizing "grease grooves" incorporated into specially configured wear plates.
Lastly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a winch apparatus having alloys of different hardness characteristics specifically utilized for maximum overall wear of the system via the incorporation of slightly softer, replaceable, sacrificial parts.